Key and permutation operated lock



June 3, 1941. w. E. HAMILTON KEY AND PERMUTATION OPERATED LOCK Filed Sept. 12, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In Z/e 765 02 WZ/zairzz mazfo'm 4 6 65 x: '5 :4 byvwys.

- June 3, 1941- w. E. HAMILTON KEY AND PERMUTATION OPERATED LOCK Filed Sept. 12, 1940 2 Sheets-Shea 2 zay'ezz for (inf 42 4% Wi/Z Q avzeys Patented June 3, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,l244,152 KEY AND PERMUTATION OPERATED LOCK William E. Hamilton,

poration of Illinois Evanston, Dudley Lock Corporation,

111., assignor to Chicago, 11]., a cor- Application September 1 2, 1940, Serial No. 356,489

10 Claims.

This invention relates to locks of the type which include a combination mechanism by which the bolt or looking member is operable, and a key operated mechanism which independently actuates such locking member.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and reliable mechanism of sturdy construction.

Another object is to provide a lock in which the locking member may be operated either by the combination alone or by means of the key alone.

The invention also includes an improved and simplified mechanism for automatically upsetting the combination in the process of operating the bolt to insure that the mechanism shall be left locked whenever the bolt is thrown to locking position.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds. The invention consists of certain features and elements of construction in combination, as herein shown and described and as indicated by the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a case for a lock embodying this invention,

ing the bolt.

Figure 2 is an elevational view similar to Figure 1 but showing a partition plate and a bolt moved from the case and showing an abutment thereon which cooperates with the dog shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the case showg the bolt in position, together with one of the locking tumblers and par-ts cooperating therewith.

Figure 5 is a view similar to. Figure 4 but showing the parts as positioned in the process of moving the bolt to locking position.

Figure 6 is a substantially axial vertical section through the lock mechanism and its operating knob and key plug, the knob and key plug being separated as a unit assembly from the lock mechanism and its case, and a portion of a door panel being shown interposed, ready for the assembly of the lock parts on opposite sides thereof.

Figure 7 is a transverse section taken substantially as indicated at line 1-'! on Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a section similar to Figure 7 but showing the parts in release position to allow resetting of the knob.

Figure 9 is a transverse section taken as indiblers when the reset key is inserted.

Figure 11 is a, detail face view of the tumbler driving member.

Figure 12 shows a modification of certain parts shown in Figure 2.

ers for schools and other institutions.- In such cases the lock is operated by means of the combination mechanism new school year, or by one user and taken over by another.

Figure 1 shows the rectangular case I which 2 forms a portion of the outline of an opening in the follower plate 6, and when the spindle A is turned in clockwise direction the point 8 of the cam, riding against the surface it, moves the plate to the right in Figure 1, which is the direction for shifting the bolt from looking to unlocking position. The lower end of the surface H) at I l adjoins another straight surface I2 in the plate, which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement so that when the point B of the cam passes the point H on the follower plate, the arcuate portion 9 of the cam merely rides against the point I 1 without causing any further travel of the plate 5. In Figure 1 the plate 6 is shown in dotted outline at the limit of movement thus caused by the cam it is shown in full lines at the opposite limit of its travel in the case. It may be explained that the movement of the point 8 of the cam in contact with the portion Hi of the follower, represents the normal rotation caused by the master key for opening the lock; the additional movement of the arcuate portion 9 in contact with the point H occurs only when the reset key is employed for the special purpose of re -adjusting the operating knob of the combination mechanism.

The return movement of the plate l for shifting the bolt to locking position is partly accomplished by'reverse rotation of the cam with its radial edge l3 riding against the corner I l of the follower plate opening. As the radial edge l3 comes into alignment with the vertical edge E5 of the opening the drive is taken up by the contact point l of the cam bearing against this edge 15 and continues until the parts are returned to the positions shown in Figure 1.

Throughout the movement of the cam 5 and follower plate 6 these two parts are positively inter-engaged because the slope or obliquity of the face it is such that while the point 8 of cam dis riding along the surface ill the opposite side of the campositively engages the plate either by contact of the point I with the face E5 or by contact of the point Hi with the edge iii of the cam. And at the limit of throw the inner edge 16 of the plate 5 abuts the inner face of the wall ofthe casing l and is held thereto by engagement of thearcuate edge E2 of the opening in the follower plate.

The sliding movement of the plate 6 is transmitted to the bolt 3 by means of an upstanding lug H which extends between a lug IS on the bolt and the end surface it of a pawl 26) secured to the bolt by a pivot 2i. As shown in full lines in Figure l, the pawl 20 is normally held in engagement with the lug I! by contact of the nose ?.2 of the pawl with the circular peripheries of the disk'tumblers of the combination mechanism, one of which is seen at 35 in Figure 4. A spring'Zd normally presses the nose 22 of the pawl against these circular edges of the tumblers; but when the tumblers are adjusted in accordance with the combination of the look their notches are aligned with each other and regis tered with the nose 22 of the pawl so that its spring 2 5 swings the pawl into the notches and out of, engagement with the lug H, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure l. Of course, this occurs only when the lock is'opera-ted through the combination ,mechanism. When the key actuated mechanism is employed it rotates the spindle iand its earn; 5 to shift the plate 5, whereupon the upstanding lug H of the plate engages the lug l8 ofthe bolt towithdraw the bolt from locking position. Upon reverse rotation of the spindle 4 3 of the cam with the edge and cam 5 the upstanding lug ll of the plate transmits a thrust through the pawl 20 and its pivot 2! to the body of the bolt 3 for projecting it into locking position.

Between the bolt itself and the follower plate 6 there is secured in the casing a partition plate 21 having a clearance opening 28 through which the lug ll projects, and which is dimensioned to accommodate the movement of the lug when the plate 6 is actuated by its cam 5. When the bolt 3 is installed in the casing i it is turned over from the position shown in Figure 3 so that its face, which appears in that view lies adjacent the partition plate 21. A bearing rib 3 at one edge of the bolt, and a bearing portion 29 at the opposite edge, actually rest upon the plate 21 and slide over it as the bolt is moved. The rib 3 includes an abutment 30, and there is pivoted on the plate 2'! at 3| a detent 32 having oblique faces 33 and 34 which intersect each other and which successively engage the abutment 30 as the bolt is shifted in the casing. A spring 32 presses the detent 32 firmly into engagement with the abut- V ment 30 so that, for example, in the initial portion ofthe unlocking movement the abutment 30, ridmg against the oblique face 33, forces the detent to swing about its pivot 3| and stresses the spring 32*. The energy thus stored in the detent 32 is released as the abutment passes the end of the oblique face 33 and engages the oppositely oblique face 34. At this point the energy of the spring operates to force the detent face 3G to actas a cam against the rounded portion of the abutment 39 so as to drive the bolt through the remainder of its range of travel, insuring that it shall not be left at an intermediate position. When the bolt is moved in the opposite direction a similar action takes place, the abutment first crowding the detent aside by riding along'the inclined surface 34, and then being'itself driven by the cam action of the inclined surface 33 as the energy stored in the spring 3?. is released.

The operation of the combination mechanism for actuating the bolt is largely similar to that of previous structures. There are three tumblers, indicated in Figure 6 as 25, 35 and 4 5. They are rotatively carried on a hollow post 36 which is secured rigidly in the partition plate 21. Internally, the post serves as a journal bearing for the cylindrical portion of the spindle 4, and, externally, as a bearing for the tumbler disks. Suitable spacer washers 3'! are interposed between the disks, and the usual driving connectionsbetween the disks consist in lugs 38 upstanding from their faces all at substantially the same radial distance from the axis of the post 36. By means of a drive member as, shown in Figure 11, the outermost disk at is interconnected with the adjusting knob 42 which is mounted externally of the lock. The member 4% is provided with holes d6, one of which engages a lug 45* projecting from the face of tumbler 45, as seen in Figure 6. Thus, by rotating the knob 42, first in one direction and then in the other, the three disks are eventually adjusted with their notches, such as the notch 35 in alignment, to receive the nose 22 of the pawl 20. This releases the pawl from engagement with the lug l1 so that upon rotation of the disks in unison and in clockwise direction, the pawl, being engaged with the notches of the disks, draws the bolt back to unlocked position.

By reverse rotation of the outer tumbler A5, which is directly connected to the knob 62, as described, the pawl 29 is driven toward the left,

as viewed in Figure 5, for projecting the bolt 3 to locking position. In Figure 5 the tumblers 35 and 45 are omitted, and the parts are shown in tumbler 25, which thus acts as a cam to force the latch out of the tumbler notches.

The spring 39 is approximately Z-shaped, with its upper end presented adjacent the edge of the disk 25 and with its lower end anchored by a stud 40 secured to the body of the bolt 3 within the casing I. As the bolt advances in one direction, and the shoulder 25 of the disk moves approximately in the opposite direction, the spring 39 is first stressed and bent somewhat out of its of the pawl 20, and providing support for the of the periphery of the disk 25. The spring 39 thus acts automatically to upset or disarrange the registered relation of the disks 25, 35 and 45. And with the nose of the pawl 25 supported on the circular peripheries of the tumbler disks, the end of the pawl abuts the lug l1 which, in turn,

4, because the spindle is interconnected with the plug of a cylinder lock and held against rotation thereby, as will be described presently.

The lock mechanism thus far described is enclosed in the casing I and may be secured therein by a cover plate 4|, as seen in Figure 6. This then constitutes a unit of the mechanism which back plate 44. The annular bosses 43 encircle countersunk apertures 41 in the escutcheon plate which register with apertures 2 in the lugs 2 of the lock casing I, while corresponding apertures 48 will be provided in the door panel 49 on which the lock is to be mounted. the casing I, with its enclosed mechanism, and

panel 49 and clamped in operative relation by securing bolts extending 41 and 2*. I

When the units are thus assembled the notched end of the hollow post 36 interlocks with correspondingly shaped prongs 50 projecting from the end of the cylindrical lock casing 54 on which the knob 42 is rotatably journaled. The casing 5| is thus held stationary at all times, while the flattened terminal 4 of the spindle 4 is interlocked when the units are assembled.

An annular, cup-shaped member 55 is rotatably fitted over the inner 'end of the cylindrical casing 5| and is provided with a pair of prongs which interlock with the notched hub 48 of the tumbler driving member 46. {The member 55 is normally connected to the knob 42 by means of acting as a clutch member by virtue of the fact that it fits in a hole 58 in the annudescribed.

It may be understood that the knob- 42 may carry an index mark, and the escutcheon 43 may will stand opposite a the knob at 42 the knob with respect to the member 55 is aca recess or pocket 63 which may be brought into registration with the guideway 60 by rotation of the key plug through an the ball 51 into the newly aligned recesses 59 thus reconnecting the knob 52 with the annular member 55 and with the tumbler disk 45 at the new position corresponding to a new series of dial readings at which the knob must be set for operating the lock.

Each of the recesses 59 includes a pair of divergent faces, both obliquely intersecting the adjacent inner surface of the knob. In the positions of the parts shown in Figures '7 and 8 it happens that the ball 51 and plunger Bl would be shifted by gravity into the pocket 63 and out of the recess 59, but if the lock happened to be installed in inverted position or in a position at 90 degrees to that illustrated in these views, then upon registration of the pocket 63 with the guideway 60, a slight turn of the knob Q2 would serve to cam the ball 51 out of the recess 59 and clear of the knob so as to permit the latter to be turned freely to any new position ofadjustment. Then one or the other of the oblique faces of the pocket 53 would also operate as a cam against the rounded end of the plunger 6| to shift the plunger and the ball 51 back into clutching position.

Figure 9 shows the key plug 52 with the special reset key To inserted therein for thus turning the plug through an angle of 90 degrees to shift the pocket 63 into registration with the plunger 6 I, as thus described. This operation is controlled by cutting the key Hi to retract all the tumblers of the key plug 52 except one, whichis indicated at ll as projecting in looking position. However, the casing is formed with an arcuate groove '52 in registration with the tumbler H and extending 90 degrees circumferentially within the casing 5i so as to permit this measured. rotation of the plug and thus insure accurate registration of the pocket 63 with the plunger 6!.

Figure shows the condition which accompanies insertion of the regular master key 80 for operating the bolt 3 by means of the spindle 4 and cam 5. As already explained, this requires only a limited angular movement of the cam 5 to bring its contact point 8 to the point H in the outline of the opening in the follower plate As illustrated, this is an angle of about 50 degrees. Accordingly, when the regular master key 80 is inserted in the key plug 5 2, a single tumbler 8! is left projecting in locking position, but the casing 5! of the cylinder lock is formed with an arcuate clearance groove 82 registering with the projecting end of the tumbler 8i and extending substantially 5% degrees around the casing. Since the master key 80 withdraws all the remaining tumblers from locking engagement with the usual grooves 83, the plug 52 may now be rotated through an angle of 50 degrees for withdrawing the bolt 3, and such rotation will be limited by the arcuate groove 82 so as to prevent shifting the pocket 63 into registration 'th the plug BI and thus releasing the knob from its adjusted relation to the combination mechanism.

It will be noted that, as shown in Figure 11, the notch M in the hub 46 of the driving member 46 is shorter in circumferential direction than the notch 45 and it may be understood that the prongs 56 which engage these notches are correspondingly different in extent. This insures that the driving member it can be connected to the annular member 55 in only one way when the two units of the lock shown'in Figure 6 are brought together and thus makes it certain that the operating combination determined at the factory will be correct when the lock has been installed. This combination can be easily varied through a series of locks in manufacture by assembling the member 46 so that a different hole of its flange registers with the lug 45 in each of the locks respectively; and, of course, by other well-known expedients a very large range of combinations can be secured in this type of lock.

Figure 12 illustrates a modification of the detent member 32 shown in Figure 2. In the modified form the detent 32 is made entirely of a single piece of spring wire which thus combines the function of the spring 32 with that of the detent itself. This part includes a straight portion 32 which extends from the side wall of the case to the stationary boss 36 and terminates in a part 32 curled about the post. At the other end the wire is bent to provide oblique portions 33 and 34* corresponding to the cam faces 33 and 34 of the detent 32. This arrangement represents some economy in manufacture.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the same is not limited to the particular form herein shown and described, except in so far as indicated by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a lock which includes a bolt and a casing in which it is movable, means for moving the bolt comprising a cam pivoted to swing in the casing and a follower cooperating therewith, the cam being formed with a portion which provides contact points at two opposite sides of said portion and the follower having two separated surfaces both transverse to its direction of travel and formed to maintain contact simultaneously with said opposite sides of the cam respectively during movement of the bolt thereby, said sides of the cam being connected by an arcuate portionconcentric with the pivot axis ofthe cam and thefollower having a clearance opening formed to permit limited rotation of the cam after said arcuate portion passes the end of one of said surfaces,

whereby the cam may then continue 'to turn without moving the follower and the bolt. l

2. In a lock including a case, with a bolt slidable therein, a plurality of notched tumbler disk-s:

rotatable in the case, and a pawl connected to the bolt and engageable in the tumbler notches when they are adjusted in registered relation, whereby rotation of the tumblers in one direction serves to shift the bolt to unlocking position and reverse rotation of the tumblers shifts the bolt back to locking position, a unitary flexible spring member mounted in position for positive engagement with at least one of the tumblers during its reverse rotation, and formed to be flexed and stressed by said reverse movement, together with means which ejects the pawl from the tumbler notch upon completion of the bolt locking movement, whereupon said stressed spring forcibly rotates the said tumbler out of registered relation. 3. In the combination defined in claim 2, said spring member being mounted on the bolt with one end secured fixedly thereto and its other end disposed for said positive engagement with the tumbler,

4. In a lock including a. case, with a bolt slidtion serves to shift the bolt to unlocking position and reverse rotation of the tumblers shifts the bolt back to locking position, an approximately Z-shaped flexible spring having one end anchored on the bolt, at least one of the tumblers having a peripherally disposed shoulder which encounters the other end of said spring during the reverse rotation of the tumbler, whereby the spring is flexed and stressed by said reverse movement, together with means which ejects the pawl from the tumbler notches upon completion of the bolt locking movement permitting the stressed spring to forcibly rotate the said tumbler out of registered relation.

5. In a lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key controlled cylinder lock comprising a key plug and a casing, a knobhaving a plurality of recesses spaced at intervals around its inner surface and clutch means normally connecting said knob with the combination comprising an annular member fitting within said recesses, the casing of the cylinder lock fitting roitatably within said annular member and normally supporting said clutch element in engagement is registerable upon rotation of the knob, each recess of the knob having divergent faces obliquely related to the adjacent surface of the knob and operating to cam the clutch element out of the recess and into said pocket upon registration of said recess and pocket and rotation of the knob, thus freeing the knob for rotative adjustment on the annular member to alter its relation to the combination mechanism.

6. In a lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism connecting said knob with the combination comprising an annular member fitting within said surf-ace of the knob and the clutch member fitting in a hole in said annular member and engageable with any of the recesses, the casing of the cylinder lock fitting Within said annular member and normally supporting said clutch member in the annular member and in engagement with one of said recesses of the knob, said lock casing having an opening register-able with said plunger, a portion of said cam being formed to permit the plunger to recede toward the axis of the cam so that said opening in the casing is available to receive the clutch member permitting the latter to withdraw from the recess of the knob, each recess of the knob having divergent faces obliquely related to the adjacent inner surface of the knob and operable to cam the clutch member out of the recess and into said opening upon rotation of the knob for adjustment on the annular member to register a difierent recess with the clutch element for engagement thereby so as to alter the relation of the knob to the combination mechanism.

lock which includes a bolt and commechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key controlled cylinder lock coma casing,

in a certain direction by means of a proper key, a clutch controlled device operable by rotation of the key plug in ment at the said greater angle required for resetting the knob.

9. In a lock which includes a bolt and combination mechanism adjustable for operating the bolt, independent operating means for the bolt including a key controlled cylinder lock comprising a keyplug and a casing, a knob and clutch means normally connecting said knob with the combination mechanism, said independent controlled device.

IOJIn the combination defined in claim 9, additional means rendered operative by said reset WILLIAM HAMILTON. 

